Alfie Solomons
Alfred "Alfie" Solomons is a Jewish gang leader who resides in Camden Town, London. It is implied that Alfie is originally from Russia, where his mother is from and that he went to school in London with Darby Sabini. He first appears in Series 2, Episode 2, having sent Thomas Shelby a telegram as a form of greeting, but also as a way of getting him to help with the war between the Jews and the Italians. Character History Background Violent and unpredictable, but intelligent and calculating, he is a master negotiator who uses violent outbursts and confusing language to intimidate and dominate everyone around him. Aside from being a veteran of World War One, little else is known about his background but for the fact that his mother was a Jew who fled persecution in Russia. He understands Russian well. Currently, he uses a bakery as a cover for his distillery. He was a Captain in the war. Series 2 · 1922 Alfie has a meeting with Thomas Shelby. Thomas informs Alfie that he is losing his war against Sabini. He tells him that Sabini is running all of Alfie's bookies off his courses, and closing down the premises that take Alfie's rum. Thomas proposes that they join forces. He offers him a hundred men and a new relationship with the police. Alfie eventually agrees to work with Thomas. For a short time, he stops working with Thomas and starts working with Darby Sabini, who promises him that Alfie's bookies will be allowed to go to the Epsom Races. During this time, Alfie informs Arthur Shelby and Billy Kitchen of their new relationship by killing a goat named after Thomas. Once Sabini breaks his promise, Alfie starts working with Thomas again. Series 3 · 1924 Alfie doesn't appear in Series 3 until the middle of the series, he is however mentioned by Polly when she tells Arthur and John that Alfie and Sabini have already sent flowers after Grace's death. She comments to Thomas that they will begin to aggressively take apart their operation unless he comes back from grief. Solomons is summoned to Small Heath to be a part of Thomas' plan with the Russians after Thomas had been severely injured by Father Hughes' men. Alfie tells Thomas that his maid had said that his head was like 'a smashed up vase that what had been stuck back to together by a horse'. He remarks that he 'has been wandering around the streets of Birmingham naked, talking to dead people and believing that he can summon up Jews'. Thomas's plan is to have Alfie pose as his jeweller. Soon after, Alfie is in a meeting with Arthur and apparently wants to make peace after having set him up. However, he begins to torment Arthur by saying 'I hear you have allowed Jesus to enter your life, and I was wondering, how does that work considering your line of work, mate?' This infuriates Arthur, who nearly picks up an ashtray with the intent of smashing it over Alfie's head. Instead, he replies with 'I'm old testament' (eye for an eye). Alfie turns to Thomas saying, 'that's the finished article right there. This man will murder and maim with God on his side. You don't want to let him go'. Alfie is next seen in the Russians' safe, where he picks out the jewellery but shows immense distaste towards Petrovich Romanov. Later, Thomas and Alfie meet in an abandoned warehouse upon Thomas's request. Thomas asks Alfie for the names of people in the UK who would be interested in buying Faberge eggs, those would be interested in buying it even if it was stolen and then for those men with wives obsessed with Faberge eggs. Thomas then points a gun at his head saying that he left a name off the list and that saying that he 'crossed the line' by causing his son to be kidnapped. Alfie gets angry, the two of them wrestle on the ground and Alfie's associate then tries to stop Thomas but Michael appears and shoots the bodyguard in the head. Alfie is irritated and threatens to call off any London dealings with the Blinders, which would ruin their operation there. He tells Thomas how there is no line in their work and how many sons, fathers and husbands are killed by them often. Thomas agrees and it appears the two no longer have a quarrel. Relationships Thomas Shelby The relationship between Thomas and Alfie is purely business. The two have a very strange relationship given that Solomons has crossed Thomas two times and yet he still continues to trust in him. When the two often meet there is an exchange of intelligent and threatening words, each trying to intimidate the other. Darby Sabini Little is known about either of the two London gang leaders. What is known is that Sabini and Solomons have known one another since school, as when the Italians and Jews call a truce, Sabini remarks that he and Alfie have been fighting since they were in school. The two have a strained relationship, in that sometimes they are friends when it best suits business and other times they are enemies. Sabini, as of Series 2, is winning the war in London, hence why Alfie sends the telegram to Thomas is the first place to seek help and gain leverage over the Italians. Solomons often gets the short straw when it comes to deals with the Italians as none of his bookies worked Epsom the year in which Series 2 is set and the border between the Italians and Jews came closer with Alfie losing territory. Quotes "You're gypsies, right? So what do you live in, a fucking tent or caravan?" ''—Alfie to Thomas during their first meeting ''"I once carried out my own personal form of stigmata on an Italian. I pushed his face up against a trench and shoved a six-inch nail up his fucking nose and I hammered it home with a duckboard. It was fucking biblical, mate." ''— '''Alfie' to Thomas Shelby Image Gallery |centre]] Category:Characters Category:Main Characters Category:Series 2 Characters Category:Enemies Category:Status: Alive Category:Series 3 Characters Category:Secondary Characters Category:Allies Category:Jewish